Salvation Army well short of $5 million to rebuild shelter

City may donate $500,000 in tornado relief money

Volunteers and employees of the Salvation Army work in an assembly line to prepare Thanksgiving meals on Nov. 25, 2010.

Staff file | Michelle Lepianka Carter | The Tuscal

By Lydia Seabol AvantStaff Writer

Published: Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 12:01 a.m.

The city of Tuscaloosa has proposed giving $500,000 of its recent $48 million in tornado relief money to the Salvation Army to help rebuild the homeless shelter that was destroyed in the April 27, 2011, tornado.

While the money will help, the nonprofit organization has a long way to go before it will have the $5 million that the shelter is projected to cost. The building could house about 80 beds for the homeless. Even with the insurance proceeds from the destroyed shelter and the proposed $500,000 donation from Tuscaloosa, the organization is still nearly $4 million short.

“Any gift is appreciated from the city, and $500,000 will help us a ways,” said Capt. Dean Moretz of the local Salvation Army. “But, everything set the way it is now, we will still be just under $4 million short. We have a long way to go as far as fundraising is concerned.”

The former shelter on Greensboro Avenue not far from Rosedale had 70 beds for the homeless. While the shelter, which was under-insured, was often over capacity during cold weather and the holidays, it averaged about 48 people a night during the rest of the year, Moretz said. The shelter was also home to the Salvation Army’s main office, and it had a cafeteria that served a breakfast and dinner each day to the hungry. A food pantry was also available to distribute canned goods and other foodstuff to those who needed it.

Prior to the storm, plans were discussed to expand the facility to include a shelter for homeless families behind the main shelter, since there were a growing number of homeless families, especially when the recession first hit in 2008. But, those plans were scrapped when the building was destroyed by the tornado.

Before the storm, the Tuscaloosa Veterans Affairs Medical Center contracted with the Salvation Army to use 32 of its shelter beds specifically for homeless veterans. Now, the VA still contracts with the Salvation Army for a 10-bed homeless unit at the VA’s grounds off Loop Road. The Tuscaloosa VA also houses approximately 48 homeless veterans in its homeless domiciliary program and another 12 in transitional residence housing.

“There is definitely a need for more homeless beds in this town,” said David Gay, director of homeless programs with the Tuscaloosa VA.

With the absence of the Salvation Army shelter, there is no other general-use shelter for the homeless in Tuscaloosa.

“If you aren’t a veteran, there are not as many options,” Gay said.

The Salvation Army plans to rebuild a new shelter at its old site, but it will no longer be the organization’s main office, Moretz said. Instead, it will be primarily a shelter with a large commercial kitchen and dining space as it was before. The building will also be the center of the Salvation Army’s social services office, as it was before the storm.

One difference is that the nonprofit plans to include transitional housing for the homeless and possibly apartment-style housing for homeless families, Moretz said. Otherwise the shelter will offer many of the same services as before.

But, plans could change. Currently the plan is fluid as the Salvation Army undergoes a study during the next six weeks to determine how many beds are needed at the shelter. Once complete, another six-week feasibility study will be conducted, and only then will the Salvation Army have a handle on exactly what size of shelter is needed, Moretz said. After the studies are completed, the group will begin a capital campaign to raise funds for the shelter.

“Everyone agrees there is a need for the shelter,” Moretz said. “It’s going back in the same location where the old one was, but those plans are up in the air until those studies are done.”

The Tuscaloosa City Council is expected to vote on the mayor’s proposed funding —

<p>The city of Tuscaloosa has proposed giving $500,000 of its recent $48 million in tornado relief money to the Salvation Army to help rebuild the homeless shelter that was destroyed in the April 27, 2011, tornado. </p><p>While the money will help, the nonprofit organization has a long way to go before it will have the $5 million that the shelter is projected to cost. The building could house about 80 beds for the homeless. Even with the insurance proceeds from the destroyed shelter and the proposed $500,000 donation from Tuscaloosa, the organization is still nearly $4 million short.</p><p>“Any gift is appreciated from the city, and $500,000 will help us a ways,” said Capt. Dean Moretz of the local Salvation Army. “But, everything set the way it is now, we will still be just under $4 million short. We have a long way to go as far as fundraising is concerned.”</p><p>The former shelter on Greensboro Avenue not far from Rosedale had 70 beds for the homeless. While the shelter, which was under-insured, was often over capacity during cold weather and the holidays, it averaged about 48 people a night during the rest of the year, Moretz said. The shelter was also home to the Salvation Army's main office, and it had a cafeteria that served a breakfast and dinner each day to the hungry. A food pantry was also available to distribute canned goods and other foodstuff to those who needed it. </p><p>Prior to the storm, plans were discussed to expand the facility to include a shelter for homeless families behind the main shelter, since there were a growing number of homeless families, especially when the recession first hit in 2008. But, those plans were scrapped when the building was destroyed by the tornado. </p><p>Before the storm, the Tuscaloosa Veterans Affairs Medical Center contracted with the Salvation Army to use 32 of its shelter beds specifically for homeless veterans. Now, the VA still contracts with the Salvation Army for a 10-bed homeless unit at the VA's grounds off Loop Road. The Tuscaloosa VA also houses approximately 48 homeless veterans in its homeless domiciliary program and another 12 in transitional residence housing. </p><p>“There is definitely a need for more homeless beds in this town,” said David Gay, director of homeless programs with the Tuscaloosa VA. </p><p>With the absence of the Salvation Army shelter, there is no other general-use shelter for the homeless in Tuscaloosa. </p><p>“If you aren't a veteran, there are not as many options,” Gay said. </p><p>The Salvation Army plans to rebuild a new shelter at its old site, but it will no longer be the organization's main office, Moretz said. Instead, it will be primarily a shelter with a large commercial kitchen and dining space as it was before. The building will also be the center of the Salvation Army's social services office, as it was before the storm. </p><p>One difference is that the nonprofit plans to include transitional housing for the homeless and possibly apartment-style housing for homeless families, Moretz said. Otherwise the shelter will offer many of the same services as before. </p><p>But, plans could change. Currently the plan is fluid as the Salvation Army undergoes a study during the next six weeks to determine how many beds are needed at the shelter. Once complete, another six-week feasibility study will be conducted, and only then will the Salvation Army have a handle on exactly what size of shelter is needed, Moretz said. After the studies are completed, the group will begin a capital campaign to raise funds for the shelter. </p><p>“Everyone agrees there is a need for the shelter,” Moretz said. “It's going back in the same location where the old one was, but those plans are up in the air until those studies are done.”</p><p>The Tuscaloosa City Council is expected to vote on the mayor's proposed funding — </p><p>including the $500,000 for the Salvation Army shelter — on May 7.</p>